fishMARROW

Together. Water in one hand. The right hand. / Together. Sky in the
other. The left hand. / The earth. Together. / Together. Wanting become
forests. / Together. Wanting become grasslands. —Juliana Spahr

You? You get it?

Birthed a fish Whole!

Out of my hand! Make bets

Who DAD is Know what? I liked the pull

Took oh forty seconds

Quick labor! Brief

Pause halfway

To gaze lovingly

Fish mouth? Fish

Marrow? Alive?

Me! I could see

My guts

The hole

The wah wah wah

Wondered if I’d sleep

A wink How to feed

A baby fish? Is a

Baby? Is my hand

A wound? Wet?

Only when hungry

I eat

Fish I am a bad MOM

I lie I say

“Not anymore”

When they ask

About me

Look

At my skin

Don’t see scales

See any difference?

I? Leave the crib

Oh I couldn’t sob

In there the air

Was too conditioned

Cold had me

By my throat

Oh that?

Where I breathe from

I wait

To tell my baby

Who won’t

Believe me! Gills?

Haven’t any

No I can’t teach

My own baby

How to breathe